A look ahead ● It’s a short week for the Falcons, who play the Rams at 8 p.m. Friday in St. . . .

DETROIT - The Falcons flashed a glimpse of their rebuilt defense Saturday. Attempting to replace five starters never figured to be an easy task, but it’s clear from the first exhibition game, a shocking 27-26 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, that it’s not quite time to remove the “under construction” sign. . . .

The Braves kept coming up a few feet short trying to beat the Phillies using the long ball in this series, so they went short Saturday and finally caught a break. . . .

Braves closer Rafael Soriano was not available to pitch Saturday because of some soreness in his right shoulder. . . .

Brooks Conrad accounted for three runs with RBI doubles in the first inning and in the fifth as the Gwinnett Braves defeated Pawtucket 7-6 on Friday night in Lawrenceville. . . .

With the way that closer Rafael Soriano has been going, big Ryan Howard was about the last guy he needed to face in the last inning of a tie game Friday. . . .

Georgia will hold its second full scrimmage of preseason camp under the Sanford Stadium lights Saturday night. . . .

It was Georgia State’s first-ever football practice, the practice jerseys were fresh out of the box and the helmets were a gleaming blue. . . .

When Tim Hudson went to the mound to begin a rehab start Thursday at Class AAA Gwinnett, the veteran pitcher was surprised to see a couple of familiar faces in the front row: Braves catcher Brian McCann and first baseman Adam LaRoche. . . .

The student assistant in the tower that stands above the Georgia Tech practice field sounded the horn to end one period and then announced the next period through a bullhorn. . . .